Rwby - Life Day, and everything is okay
by samhammond2001
Summary: An alternate look at how the Battle of Beacon could have gone. Canon Divergent and comedy filled. Written for a gift on Christmas 2019 hence the elements. Ruby and her team are faced with a unique circumstance following the Battle of Beacon. Cinder and Roman begin to amend for their past sins with their small family unit.


And So This is Christmas

Vale had frozen over, construction and repair were evident across the frozen city. Beacon stood tall still, many students of the prestigious school learned much more critical things than how to fight in the late Fall cold. The students learned compassion and how to repair what was lost. Team RWBY among many others worked tirelessly to fix shops, mend roads and clear the remnants of chaos from the streets of Vale. It had taken only a short time for a true normality to return to the city.

The Atlas army had become a new construction force overnight. General Ironwood himself even worked to mend the central archways of Beacon hall. Many people were being found daily amongst the rubble, their aura in critical condition. Ironwood came to Ozpin with a crucial situation that would define the event. Atlas would develop Beacon into a new age, temporary, but state of the art. Beacon would be made into the largest hospital ever seen in the world.

But it wasn't all good news, for every three discharge from the massive hospital there would be almost five new admissions. Team RWBY's leader, Ruby Rose, was spearheading these new admissions. She and Weiss Schnee were on the frontlines constantly, amongst the outskirts of Vale where the fighting was the hardest. Many of the streets were still laden with rubble and ash from the terrible night.

Ruby sighed as she watched huge Atlas machines help clear the rubble. Her newly invigorated partner stood close by, Weiss' hair blended in well with the hellish snowfall. The snowfall caused them to almost wade through knee high white. The machines in front of them were mere silhouettes as they approached. Weiss stumbled behind Ruby, thankfully, her partner's wild speed let her catch the heiress. "Thanks Ruby. Oum this is ridiculous." Weiss cried as she fought to get her feet back under her. Ruby snickered at the girl's wailing, "Oh come on, I thought you were the Ice Queen!" The red cloaked girl chuckled. "Oh, you dolt!" Weiss yelped through another stumble. Ruby catching her again. "I am not a dolt, I'm _your _dolt though." The two shared a moment of laughter as they held one another to cross the treasurous white abyss.

As the pair approached the large machine and it's operators began to become more defined. Ruby spying the one worker with a bright neon yellow vest atop the large plow and waving her hand like mad. "Hey! Sir," Ruby called. The man flinched for a moment, grabbing a rail on the large machine and leaning over to stare towards the two girls. He watched for a moment before spotting them, "Oh! Hey there girls!" The portly man called. Weiss and Ruby paused for a moment. Weiss mumbled, "You have got to be kidding me…" Professor Port jumped down into the thickened snow with a mighty, "Umpf!" Standing at his full height, he was roughly a third submerged.

"Hello there young students! You are just in time!" The man billowed. The pair began wading closer to him as he threw his arm out to direct them. The trio of snow covered workers heaved through the onslaught toward a hastily erected tent, "Come this way, students! There is shelter from this spot of bad weather!" The plow meanwhile carried on its course as they entered the darkened tent.

The tent was erected in what must have been an old market square. The interior was filled with workers, paramedics, droids, and multitudes of tools for repairs and snow removal. Workers mumbled about their stations and tables where the more snow ridden sat and talked. There was a heavy stench of coffee amidst the warmer hall. All lit by dull yellow from various lanterns strung across the ceiling of the tent.

The two students took a moment upon entering the tent to shake themselves loose of the bitter white. "Professor, we didn't think we'd meet you down here!" Ruby cried in a happy tone. Weiss shrugged slightly beside her, "Yeah, if we did know-" Weiss was cut off by an elbow from her partner. The man didn't notice the exchange as he turned to face them, Ruby and Weiss narrowly breaking into a hearty laugh with the large amount of snow that had stuck itself into the Professor's mustache.

"And neither did I hear that the pair of my best and brightest team were joining us!" Port announced with vigor. "You must tell me where you have come from!" His large tone almost boomed around the tent. Ruby and Weiss both chuckled at the man's vibrant voice. "We just came from Beacon sir…" Weiss began in a chipper tone, "... Headmaster Ozpin thought that this team could use some help, seeing as it's in a deeper valley than the rest of the outskirts." The heiress finished with a smile as the Professors booming laugh joined them again.

Port calmed again, "It is true! We have been having a fair amount of issues with the snow as of late..." He turned and motioned the huntresses in training to follow him. "... But we have had a fair degree of success as of late." The Professor led the pair down through the concourse of jubilant workers.

None of the snow ridden workers seemed distraught either. Ruby supposed it was because they had survived the brutal fight that had only just occurred. Some men sang off in the corner as they retold stories of their excavations beyond the tent. Weiss too noticed that a large amount of the workers were off in the back corner, huddled around something they were trying to raise upright.

Weiss stopped following for a moment, Ruby pausing as well, "What's wrong Weiss?" Ruby asked, her tone almost worried as she looked to the heiress. Weiss looked back to the younger girl and chuckled, "Don't be so concerned dolt." She said with a smile as she flicked Ruby's forehead. "Agh!" Ruby yelped as she exaggerated a fall backward. Ruby rebounded and spoke mock seriously, "I'll get you for that Ice Queen!" Weiss laughed again, rolling her eyes with a pleasant smile. "Sure you will, dolt…" Weiss nodded toward the corner and horde of laughing workers.

Ruby followed her nod, seeing the pack and a large green object amongst the pack. Ruby squinted for a moment, looking back to Port as he continued walking onward. As expected talking to himself. Ruby smirked, "Come on, let's check it out." She said with a turn to Weiss as she smiled brightly. Weiss rolled her eyes and blushed lightly.

As they approached the group of workers, the pair could hear the calls and laughs of the group. "Three… Two… One!" They called as they began to heave the green thing upright. Ruby smiled wide as she watched the group hoist the large pine tree upright. When it stood tall and stable the group of workers cried and cheered, and a small applause was heard behind the huntresses in training. They then watched as various workers threw all matter of trinkets and a cord of lights around the tree, and in one blink they plugged in the string of lights. Making the tree glow brightly.

Ruby smiled wildly, "Oh that's so sweet!" The leader mused, her partner however looked more confused than ever. "What is? It's just a tree?" Weiss looked to her leader with genuine distress as Ruby turned on her with a quick flurry. "Just a tree?!" The red hooded girl cried. She shook the heiress by her shoulders, "It isn't just any tree!" Ruby yelped, "It's a Life Day tree!" When Ruby stopped shaking Weiss the girl didn't look any more clear on the subject. "Christ-mas? What's that? Isn't that like a business party that everyone goes to but hates?"

Ruby looked even more in pain than she had looked during the battle of Beacon. "Weiss… Do… Do you not know what Life Day is?" Ruby deadpanned to the girl. Weiss slowly shook her head. "Weiss! How do you not know what the best holiday ever is?!" Ruby cried again as she shook her partner. "I.. Don't.. Know.. Please.. Stop!" Weiss responded, Ruby relented in her assault.

The leader took a turn, she stood sternly with her fists planted on her hips. "Weiss Schnee. When we get back to the dorm I swear we are going to have a talk…" Weiss shrugged, "Fine…" She made a move to pass the exaggerating leader, "Let's just get this show on the road, hmm?" Weiss heard a short retort from her partner as she made to find the Professor.

The Battle of Beacon had broken them. The chill was biting at a parkaded and masked woman as she ran through various alleyways. She dodged and weaved, another man behind her ran with her. Dressed the same, they ran until they came to a large open street. The pair carried large packs with them, hodgepodge in nature, and the small canvas frames were almost bursting from their contents.

The woman looked around with a pair of heterochromatic eyes, one pink and one brown. She stood strong and determined as the man ran up beside her, wheezing as he doubled over to his knees.

His voice was horse from running, it had lost some of it's charm but his snark was ever present as he yelled over the howling blizzard. "Oum dammit Neo! What good are we if we die from exposure?!" The man looked up to her as he wheezed, Neo only rolled her eyes as she looked back to the man. Raising her hands to sign to him, "Exposure? Don't be such a baby Roman." She scowled at him as he laughed. "Yes exposure…" He spat, "...Fireball's text sounded urgent but come on. It's probably just one of the brats that needs _all _of this!" Roman barked. Neo rolled her eyes again, signing again, "Well then we can't keep your girlfriend waiting." Neo smirked as she took off again across the deep snow ridden road. "She is not!... Urgh Neo! Get back here!" She heard Roman call as he rejoined the run.

The criminal colony of Roman's gang had all but dissipated following the failed attack. Roman was grateful he'd managed to slip through Atlas and Vale's metallic fingers, his plan initially was to lay low and skip town. Vacuo sounded nice, especially with the nightmarish cold. But that all got thrown out the window when his girlfri- boss. Had sent him and his associate, Neo, a message. It wasn't encrypted at all, suggesting haste. All it said was an address and to bring as much medical equipment as possible.

Naturally, Roman did so as fast as possible. Neo herself had even used her incredible infiltration skills to steal some higher end gauze and equipment from an encampment not too far from the edge of town. That being said, the equipment was certainly heavy, and the snow was only getting deeper.

Neo and Roman stopped again, Neo ripped open one of her chest pockets. Removing her Scroll and opening the message from the boss again. She showed the address to Roman again. "Little further, huh? Okay." Roman huffed, readjusting his bag as the pair ran across another street. Coming to a street corner that offered them a minimum of shielding from the wind.

The smaller girl stopped abruptly, causing Roman to bump into her lightly. "Gah! Neo! Wha-!" He began yelling, stopping when he saw Neo pointing across the street with a defeated expression plastered on her. Roman followed her gesture, "Oh, Christ…" He growled.

The address had guided them to one of the most destroyed and broken buildings Roman had seen. Their old warehouse. The roof had caved in on the second floor and most of the door facing their street was blown inward. "Come on… I don't like this…" Roman mumbled, as he and Neo both began to cautiously approach the building.

Even under all the snow, Roman could see the remnants of the buildings furniture, exaggerated mounds that looked like sofas, desks, and chairs. The old use for the building was untranslatable with the deadly mounds of white. Their footsteps echoed over the blizzard in the large building. To their left was what was once used as a barracks for their former soldiers. Roman growled, "Well if she had taken them anywhere… Watch my back…"

Neo stuck close to the door of the barracks hallway, as Roman carried on through, the snow slowly dissipated as he walked the hallway. The white light grew to black as he approached a turn in the hall. Roman slowly peaked around the corner, his eyes slowly adjusting as he did so.

The black gave way to a staircase downward. Roman hesitated as he stared into the void, the wood beneath him creaking as he levered his weight. Roman looked back to the hall, he still spotted Neo's arm in the door frame, her hand affixed to the handle of her parasol. A sneer escaped him as he balled his fists. He went to his pack, he unslung the baggage. Attached to the bag proper was a lengthy, green rucksack. The strings came undone quickly, as he pulled out Melodic Cudgel.

Roman readied himself, he had reslung his pack and breathed in heavy. Exhaling after a moment, his arms were tense as he put his weapon in front of him. Readying himself for the blackest tricks. His first footstep groaned against the rotting stairs. He froze and looked back to the hallway. Startled as Neo was almost upon him, sharing the stairs frame with him. She signed to him with a smirk, "Baby afraid of the dark?" Roman's scowl worsened as he put the cane under his arm, signing back, "Why I oughta…"

The black beneath them began to rupture. The pair only spotted it out of the corners of their eyes. Roman leaped behind Neo with his cane pointed over her shoulder. Neo readied herself as well, the blade already drawn from her parasol. The pair looked down the stairs. The black was frozen, the sounds of the storm were distant.

A click came from Roman's cane as the small sight flicked from the base.

The black spoke, "Right then. Hey guys?..." The shadows stepped forth again, coming forth so that his eyes were centimeters from Melodic Cudgel's barrel. "...Can we not destroy _all _of the building?" Mercury said, his hands up by his ears.

Roman's weapon dropped a few degrees, as did Neo's blade. The pair of criminals both sighed heavily, "God damnit kid..." Roman began as he massaged his eyes, "...why did no one come and…" He looked at the boy. The light was more defined when he was so close.

The boy was bloody. Way too bloody. He had dirt and blood crusted around his head. Some of his brow was creased by his hair, frozen together and fused across his forehead. His hands too looked ruined, wrapped in red bandages that extended beneath his flimsy jacket. Which too, was torn and shredded..

Roman looked horrified, as did Neo for a moment. "Jesus kid…" Roman mumbled as he moved around Neo. He began to reach for Mercury's arm, but Mercury pulled away. "Don't worry about me, my aura fixed most of this… The real issue is down stairs." He jokingly smirked, as he pointed over his shoulder. As Mercury turned to walk down, both Neo and Roman shared a look.

Roman began to sign, "Shit?" Neo quickly responded, "Definite."

The basement was dark but kept a decent heat. Some kind of fabric, most likely blankets, were strung around the staircases entrance. Mercury pushed through the cloth, and held a portion open for the snow ridden assailants.

The interior of the basement wasn't as dark as the hallway above. A small drum of wood burnt against the left side wall. More cloth outlined a doorway to the right, and against the far side was likely the old owners cushions, sprayed out in a square. Roman mumbled to himself as his hand went to his mouth, "Christ… Why did no one call sooner?" Mercury turned and shrugged to the man, "We got word out as fast as we could."

While the boys talked, Neo scanned the room. Next to the can, with her arms around her knees, was Emerald. Neo noticed her before Roman, she quickly ran over to the girl. She was still wearing her usual clothing, Neo recoiled as she was cold to the touch. But the girl didn't respond to any attempted prodding. Her eyes were locked across the room, at the doorway beyond the black drapes.

Roman's attitude was worsening, "What do you mean 'we'? Why would you two ever-?" Roman stopped as he spotted Neo work tirelessly to produce supplies for Emerald. Roman removed his pack quickly. Even faster was he on his knees beside Neo, his hands placed on the girls shoulders. "Jesus, Emerald!" Roman didn't realize he was shouting, no one stopped him however.

Hinds hands went to her head. He made Emerald face him, "Kid, say something!" His expression looked rabid, Neo pressed Emerald's bangs from her forehead. The situation was similar to Mercury. Blood was everywhere, a dark scar of red was still evident across the girl's right cheek as well. Neo feared even more as she inspected the girls arms, they were scared heavily. And the damage only grew as she looked to the girl's back.

Neo patted Roman's arm, he looked to his friend. She signed, her expression terribly worried. "Boss…" Roman froze, he looked back to Emerald. Her eyes were fixed onto the doorway. Roman's expression tightened and dipped into sorrow.

Roman stood, he walked to the center of the room. He stopped in front of the black curtain. Mercury approached his side, a heavy limp now evident with the boy.

The boy's smirk was gone, "Please say…" The boy began, Roman turning to look at Mercury. He was choking on air as he repeated, "...Please say you can help her…" He wheezed, his expression broken as he fell to his knees. Roman merely looked down to the sobbing assassin. Roman's hand fell on Mercury's shoulder. He knelt down to Mercury's level, fighting to keep his composure and a heated, burning, mess of emotions fought their way into his stomach.

Roman's tone had lost all of it's previous charm. His hand held strong on to the rough remnants of the gray coat. "Merc, how long have you... " Roman hesitated, weighing his words carefully. "...Lot.. been here?" The boy was still shuddering, tears streaming as he stared at the floor. His voice held a certain kind of dignity, compassion and emotion. "I thought I could handle it. I thought we'd be okay…" Roman nodded, a grimace forming as he stood again.

His sad eyes looked to his partner. Neo had thrown her coat over Emerald, she stood upright and approached Roman. They knew that neither of the practical _children _could understand sign language, and neither would truly process their conversation.

Neo began, her expression heavy. "Roman. I…" She struggled, Roman waiting patiently. He would do anything to escape going beyond the black curtain. Anything at all. "We are on our own…" Neo looked lost, her shoulders dropped as she continued. "We have no contacts. No resources. I think…-" Roman looked down, his hand pressed onto Neo's shoulder to stop her. Roman sighed, his voice weighed more than any movement Neo could muster. "Now Neo, these are kids… They have so much left in them. If they are in this position. I don't want them to live like we did…"

Roman's tone was little more than a whisper, the cold air that exited his mouth barely visible. "I… I need to go to her… Then…" He hesitated. His expression wavering as he turned away from Neo. "Then we will figure out what to do." Neo nodded as he turned, she went to Mercury with a small medical kit to start some minor fixes.

The black curtain parted before him, a dull orange lamp was the only true viewable thing in the room, the black, the dark. "Oh… Oh god." Roman choked.

Cinder Fall, the almighty, the undefeated champion of the forces of chaos and grimm. Alway thought that what waited for her on the other side was black. She did not expect that her end would be so bright. And she certainly did not think that it would be so warm either.

A raging inferno of powerful heat had enveloped her in her moment of triumph. Just as she was so close to letting loose an arrow to be rid of the false maiden. That accursed old man came to her rescue. She belted something as a retort to the old headmasters' appearance. But her confidence was short lived. If that warrior, that pure hearted soul, that _child. _Had been a moment later, she at least could have had the pleasure of ending that final spar.

The sudden flash of power had doomed her. she remembered yelling, when was the last time she had lost her composure like that? Cinder recalled falling too, she summoned all of her hordes of power to her in those fleeting moments.

Mercury and Emerald were upon her faster than anything. Their voices were distant. "Cinder! No!" Emerald had screamed at her, cursing at her fading body as she watched her through one eye. Emerald was frantically grabbing at her. Mercury was not far behind Emerald either, "Oum… What in the hell…" Mercury had stammered. Cinder batted Emerald's hands away as she tried to help her.

"No…" Cinder belted, trying to regain her prominence. She was on her back, with a heave of all her strength, Cinder pressed her hands into the dirt.

She barely noticed that she could see nothing of her left hand. Pushing herself harder, and with more gasps and curses from her subordinates. She was on her feet again, her bare feet stepped through the remnants of what must have been her destroyed glass shoes.

"Agh…" The Fall maiden hissed, her feet barely held her when she wobbled weakly. Her knees buckled for a moment. "I…" Emerald cried at Cinder's shin. The Fall maiden began to march regardless, "Emerald! Let go!" Cinder growled lowly, Mercury only watched. The three of them at the foot of Beacon, all bloody. Their leader in shambles.

Mercury was transfixed on Cinder, she growled a distant insult to the boy as she suddenly saw a black void grow around her vision.

Mercury caught his leader as she fell into him, he stood for a moment as he felt her shallow breath slowly grow even shallower. Emerald still gripped her leg, her knuckles straining with the intensity. "Em!" Mercury yelled, "Em, we have to go!"

Cinder was out, her mind raced as she stared blankly at Beacon's tower and courtyard change to a ship,then changed again to Vale buildings. But a moment passed where she felt like she was truly awake, it was as her meger party was just a few blocks from their goal.

To Mercury and Emeralds horror, Cinder's head bolted up, a series of sounds from her broken body almost made Mercury gag as he carried her in his arms. They stopped and Mercury and Emerald tried talking to her. But Cinder's mind was on one single person she could vaguely make out amidst the ensuing chaos. A black gowned, white, gangly woman approached the broken Cinder Fall. Her skeleton-like appearance was twisted in disgust at the maiden. Cinder registered the scowl she pressed herself further up in Mercury's arms. "I did everything you asked!" She cried to the figure, tears welled in her eye as she wailed. Cinder begged, but the figure's scowl was hard. The white face turned her back on Cinder, it's intent was made clear as a portal of black and red opened for the being, and the being alone. Cinder cried again, "No! No, Mistress! Salem, Please!"

Mercury and Emerald watched as their leader wailed and cried names and words to empty space, Mercury looked to Emerald. "We don't have much time…" His voice was cold, stern. Emerald only nodded through her emotional panic, in Emerald's hands she carried Cinder's weapon with a definite weight on her. The pair of children began moving again.

"No, no no. Please, Mercury stop!" Cinder begged as Salem grew further and further away from her. She beat her fist tiredly into the boy. "I- I demand it. Stop!" She wailed, tears heavy as she watched the figure disappear into the portal.

"It's okay boss, we're gonna be okay." Was all he could say to her, his legs were growing tired with every bound. "It's gonna be okay." Emerald would repeat, the girl smiled at Cinder. Trying to reassure her.

Cinder's world ultimately faded from her as they entered a familiar box of concrete, she grappled with her consciousness to fight on, but had nothing left to barter with.

The Beacon medical wing was crowded and packed, the former cafeteria was an auxiliary of such a building. Old tables were retrofitted with blankets, cushions, anything to make the patient comfortable. Glynda Goodwitch over saw the hall officially, but she also over saw every other extension of the medical ward in Beacon.

As a consequence, she had delegated her roles across both the faculty and trusted students in long shifts through the days immediately following the attack. One such pair that had been entrusted to the cafeteria was the third quarter of RWBY. Blake worked tirelessly with a myriad of students, medical professionals, and former civilians to help the injured of the attack.

The former activist was very thankful for Aura, the least severe of the injured would be in and out within a day of rest and some food, Blake took tremendous pleasure in assisting those who talk to her. But there was always a violent emergency on her shift, being the first into work each morning.

The school had even taken in many White Fang soldiers, Blake watched in horror as one fellow Faunas was placed onto the most dire of work areas. She was forced into helping the doctor on hand merely by proximity when the soldier was rushed in.

The Faunas' helmet was cut from his head because it had fused with his bull horns. But as an extension, the soldier's extension of himself were removed as well. The howls of pain were evident across the hall.

When her shift had finished, she found herself running for the doors. Apologizing as she narrowly avoided running into men and women assisting other patients. When she made it outside Blake collapsed onto the stairs. Her head was held in her hands as she wept.

It felt like an eternity, she wept about all of it. It was almost like a watergate of the past four years had suddenly opened. It was encapsulated with Adam and Yang. Their duel that broke Blake. Ending with the coward, Adam fleeing after nearly murdering Yang.

Blake had been staying with Yang through the whole period right up until the medics came for her. She thought of running, to get away, that she was the reason for all of this. That she had brought the White Fang. Her mind still flip flopped on the subject, but then she'd remember her team. The brave Ruby Rose, the strong Weiss Schnee, and the burning ember that was Yang.

How could she leave that?

Her mind became her own again after its roller coaster of sadness. She looked up and breathed. Blake analysed the quad between the mess hall and the other faculties surrounding them. She saw JNPR across the way celebrating the successful recovery of Pyrrha. Jaune finally embraced and kissed the poor girl. The sight made Blake smile and cheer across the way, Nora too echoed with her cheers.

She saw Atlas droids help clear snow and ice across the sidewalks for the civilians and workers. Another pair erected trees of pine along the side, with decorations. Blake smiled wide at the volunteer booth, a line stretched from the door all the way to her work. Filled with people she had once seen on her makeshift gurneys.

But most importantly, she saw yellow. Not just any yellow though. A burning, hot yellow across the way. Hidden behind Pyrrha and Jaune's scene. Blake's expression dropped as she stood sporadically. There she was, her smile was clear as day as she high fived Pyrrha. Blake smiled wide and took off sprinting. Her shadow clone stood idly for a moment before it dissipated in her wake. "Yang!" Blake shouted as she crossed the snow-covered central portion of the quad. The shout turned Yang's attention, her squinting search change into a bright smile. "Blake!" The blonde cried as she began running to meet Blake.

The two collided with smiles, tears, and a heated embrace. Nora was heard cheering again, along with the soft applauding of Jaune and Pyrrha. Nora shouted, "Ren! Two of my ships have set sail today! Wanna make it three?" She giggled to the poor man.

Another day another search for the leading members of RWBY. Ruby and Weiss drew the best straw though thankfully. Their fourth mission under Professor Port was in the furthest reach of Vale. The snow had begun to subside. The sun even began to show it's warm gaze down. Weiss smiled as she watched the bright yellows cascade and reflect against frozen ponds and dance across the remnants of old shops.

Ruby smiled as she watched her partners glee, "So let me get this straight, Weiss?' Ruby giggled lightly as she spoke. Weiss turned to look at her with a slight smile, "Hmm?" Ruby put her hands behind her head as they strolled, "How do you come from the coldest and lavish place in all of the four kingdoms, and not know what Life Day is?" Ruby smile grew as she saw Weiss cross her arms and blush lightly. "Well…" Weiss began, "... It would probably be another Jauces Schnee problem." Her smile faded slightly. Ruby became more invested, their walk crossed through what was once a park.

The tree's were blasted with snow, slanting them heavily in one direction. The path's were still laden with dusting snow. The paths were thin with ice still, as it had yet to be packed down. Their boots crunched down, making them the only audible things for blocks.

Ruby smile and expression grew to a sneer. "Do you really not have… any experience with the holidays then?" Ruby quivered at the thought of not celebrating with her family. Weiss shrugged, "I wouldn't say totally. Winter, as much of a hard ass that she is. Always made a point to come home and take me away from the galas or parties Father threw." Weiss' expression grew slightly red again, Ruby watched in amazement at the girl. Finding herself turning vibrantly red as well as Ruby quickly shot her head to prevent Weiss from seeing her rose like cheeks. "It must have been hard!" Ruby squeaked quickly, "To have only a sister to look forward to."

Weiss put her hand to her chin to think. "I wouldn't say it was hard but…" Weiss removed her hand and brushed a bush filled with white, sending it streaming across her and Ruby. "...What was difficult was the short time Winter and I saw each other, my sister would only come for the twenty fourth before she too had functions to attend. I spent many days following her visits alone."

The pair stopped for a moment, Ruby looking back to her partner. Her eyebrows were raised in surprise. Weiss was looking more mournful now at the snow in the wind. "Well…" Ruby began, "...My family usually makes too much food and whatnot for Chritsmas…" Ruby scratched her neck as she smiled at Weiss. Who had turned to face her partner. "...I'm sure we'd more than love to have you this year?" Ruby chuckled as she and Weiss both grew a little red, "I think I'd love that Dolt." Weiss laughed.

Ruby sighed in relief, "Oh thank god, I was worried you'd say no." Weiss rolled her eyes and laughed. "As much as I enjoy ruining my father's parties. I would rather enjoy my own kind of company." Weiss said with a smirk and wink to the blushing Ruby. "Ah… Well let's get on out way then!" Ruby said quickly before she hurriedly walked onward. Weiss chuckled behind her. "My dolt. Wait up you tool!"

They left the market down a less than full road. The snow looked to be blocked by some of the other rubble of the surrounding buildings. Leaving a few inches on the road as the only real evidence of snowfall in the small roadway.

Ruby began to feel uneasy as the sun was also blocked out in the road. Ruby sensed that Weiss felt the same as her hand went to Myrtenaster. Ruby pulled the strap of Crescent Rose to her front as they wandered forward. The rattling of old wreckage echoed with the wind. A wooden door opened and closed, the sign above the door described it as a grocery of some kind.

Ruby sighed, "Good as place as any to start I guess. Want to…-" Ruby mused as she looked to Weiss. Weiss flippantly waved her hand, "Yeah yeah, smaller weapon in an enclosed space. Just call me if you have issues out here…" Weiss grumbled as she stepped toward the door.

"Love you~" Ruby called jokingly, "Dolt…" Weiss mumbled as she turned a light pink again. Weiss pressed the wooden door to the side with a stiff shove. One of the top latches broke as she did so, making it fall to the ground. She paused and watched the door settle in a pile of snow. "Oops, I didn't do it…" Weiss spoke sarcastically as she went further into the building.

"Weiss!.." Ruby cried, "Don't break everything…" Weiss shrugged, making to turn and reply but thought better of it. She walked in further, the store wasn't utterly destroyed, frankly, it looked less like it was attacked and more like it was plundered. Weiss suspected civilians, but this store was so far from the marketplace. Wouldn't it have been easier to take from a larger building? Not one so far removed from the rest of the rescue operations?

Weiss roamed to the back of the store, the back of the room was etched in yellow light. Minor details were hard to make out but the gist of the store was clear. Most non perishable food was gone, first aid too. Weiss scowled as she walked to the office of the store. The door was ajar, broken into much less opened.

The office was in shambles. Most odd was the completely untouched desk, looking like someone had used it that day. Paper's were stacked and uniformed, a terminal sat with a mouse ready to operate if the store had power. Weiss leaned on the doorway as she gave the room a onceover.

A cupboard was crooked however. Broken on an angle. "Weird." Weiss mumbled as she went to kick the door off lightly. "Hmm?" Weiss hummed, getting to a knee to look in the cupboard. Within the desk was a large, mechanical safe. Rotary knobs and everything. Weiss pulled the heavy case open, a few hundred lien was left. Pulled out to the front of the safe. "Who empties a safe back to front?" Weiss pondered, as she looked to the floor in front of the box. A small toolkit layed, a few long and thin metal sticks laid on the floor.

Weiss' brow crooked up as she grabbed one of the barbs. As she inspected the barb of metal she noticed her light waver from the office door. Like someone had passed by the door. "What the-!" Weiss began as she turned to look at the blockage of light.

Ruby stood outside idly, she had her scroll out. The sounds of Dragon Sphere X beamed loudly from the scroll as she moved with her fighter. Bobbing and weaving. A victory screen appeared with a victory trumpet and Ruby cheered, "Yes! Take that Lady Freezer!" She fist pumped the air with a leap.

A boom and explosion from the store shook Ruby as when she landed Ruby turned with a start to the store to see Weiss come flying from the empty door. Landing in a crouch a meter from Ruby. "Ruby! We have a situation!" She readied her rapier with dust and aimed it toward the door. Ruby quickly spun to unfold her scythe in one swift motion, the sniper aimed as well on the door.

A moment of silence transpired as the clicking of boots echoed from the door. The small figure of Torchwick's henchman emerged. Still wearing her signature outfit, fit as a fiddle as well as she spun her parsol in her hand. A parcel bag in her offhand. Ruby called out, "It's that girl Yang told us about! Y'know the one from the train!" Weiss gawked at Ruby for a moment, "Of course I- Did you think I forgot?!" Weiss shouted back as Neo slowly stepped down from the shop door. Ruby shrugged as she looked between Neo and Weiss. "I mean Blake said you got slammed by your face into the floor a couple times sooo…." Ruby shrugged.

Neo looked disinterested, with a shake of her head she placed the bag down and readied herself. Weiss was in the middle of yelling back to Ruby, "One time! It was-!" When Neo flung herself at the Heiress, her attack aimed the blade of her weapon at Weiss. Which even in her moment of distraction, Weiss reposted well. Jumping back to counter move. Neo continued to press her attacks on the girl.

Ruby vaulted herself over the duel with firing her rifle down, at her apex Ruby slashed in between the two fighters. Neo retreated for a moment, only to explode into shards of glass. The assailant reappeared where Ruby had landed and began to rapidly stab at the red form.

Each slash was countered easily by a swing of the large blade, Rubz turned on heel to press her size advantage. The blade came heavy down into the snow, Neo recoiled as expected. Weiss reentered the fight with a stab at the retreating Neo. A sly backflip narrowly avoided the attack, but something caught the huntresses eyes.

A moment of shimmer erupted from the retreating Neo. For a little less than a second, the savvy dressed criminal glittered into a hazy image. When the aggressor landed, and began readying herself for another launch. Both Weiss and Ruby launched an onslaught of Crescent Rose's fire and Myrtenaster's dust volley. The combined fire created an explosion that enveloped the assailant.

For a moment the shimmer returned, it began around the boots and drifted upward. Like a projector was being moved almost, an image being slanted diagonal before being readjusted. The figure in the cloud finished, it stood from a crouch, Neo sprung again from a glass shatter at Weiss. Ruby watched in abstract horror, as her partner instead looked toward the opposite end of the road.

Ruby bolted, red petals enveloped the scene as she rushed for the attack. She leapt wildly in front of the heiress, "No!" Ruby cried, as Neo's parasol made contact with her stomach. The blade _dissipated, _and continued. Until the blade had also struck Weiss through her partner. Ruby continued to fly in the air with her amassed momentum. Flinging herself a good four feet away, toward where Weiss' eyes already were.

Ruby held her eyes shut as she clutched her stomach, beginning to pat herself violently. Her eyes flew open as she could not find a wound, instead looking to Weiss. "Weiss, I'm sorry!" Ruby began to cry. However, Weiss was still standing strong. Ruby blinked again, she saw no wound, nor even evidence she had been attacked. "Ruby you dolt, get up." She commanded.

The leader began to stammer, "Weiss, how? Where did?-" Silver eyes looked around violently, "Where'd the criminal go? I have a pretty good idea…" Weiss spat as she raised her rapier down the road. The clicking of the revolving dust was followed by a launch of blue dust and a yelp down the road. Ruby reacted fast, another flurry of red sent her standing next to Weiss.

Down the road a figure tugged rapidly on her foot, frozen in Weiss' dust. She was encased in a thick weather resistant coat and pants. But her exposed head gave her away. Ruby stepped forward, "Emerald?" The green haired girl cried and yanked at her leg hard. It had only been a short time they had been enemies truly, before Ruby would have considered her a close friend but now.

Ruby looked to Weiss, "How did you know?" Weiss chuckled, "Well the _illusion_ didn't kick up any snow or leave any prints. Plus…" Weiss pointed to the store's steps. "...The bag's gone." Sure enough, the bag that was once by the step was now on it's side. The previously contained items splayed across the street in the thin snow.

The pair of huntresses began to approach the girl, her struggling continued. Ruby sheathed her massive blade in one motion, Weiss retained the rapier in case Emerald attempted to flee. But, as they grew closer, something seemed off about the entire scene.

Ruby noticed it first, Emerald was running away, sure that much was obvious. But what she ran _with _was more surprising. The leader walked past the girl to the bag. As she reached for the contents, Emerald changed her cries to Ruby, "No. Please, don't take them!" Ruby didn't look at the girl. Her expression did grow worried however. She picked out a roll of bandages, gauze and severe burn ointment from the snowfall. No food or any other permanent survival goods were present. Ruby held the burn ointment as she turned to Emerald. "Why would you…" But her mind trailed off upon actually looking at their enemy.

Emerald, the once snark filled thief, was close to tears. Her hair disheveled and her hands wrapped in bloody cloth. Ruby paused as she looked at the girl. "You can't take those, we… We need them, please." Emerald whimpered, as she kept clawing at the ice. Ruby looked to Weiss, Weiss looked almost scarred for the girl.

Ruby breathed in, "Alright. Alright Em..." Ruby picked up the bag, "... We won't take it. Just breath, okay?" Ruby started to put the emptied materials back in the bag. Emerald noticeably calmed down. But she was still very concerned with her situation. Emerald spoke again, not as little as a whimper either. Her tone sounded like she was trying to mimik her leader, "You have to let me take these. The medicine, it's for survivors."

"A blatant lie." Weiss deadpanned, as she stepped before the captive. "Really we don't have to let you do much, you're still a criminal." Emerald's broken nature returned. "I'm also unarmed, nothing. Please, just, let me go. You'll never hear from us again." Emerald pleaded, her hands gripped each other to do so.

Ruby looked to Weiss, "Us?..." Ruby blinked. She looked in the bag again, Emerald's scroll sat, chilled but still unlocked at the bottom. Ruby fished it out, "Is this stuff for your friends?" Ruby said as she went to look at the scroll. Weiss crossed her arms, "Your anarchist friends?" the heiress growled. The scroll showed a map, a path back too. A small black queen logo and a quartet of others, were placed over a destination not too far from where they were. "Weiss, can you call Blake and Yang? We're probably gonna need help."

Cinder's world was dark for a long time it felt like. It didn't feel good. She pained, her back arched in pain, her legs cramped or seized with every little move. Even as she layed in bed, still as death. She hurt. The evening her world came back to her, she found the full force of that pain.

Her hands were clenched in fists of rage, both ached as she tried to summon her powers. A small spark came from her palms but little more. The ultimate power she'd acquired had been reduced to little more than Roman's lighter.

Her eyes flew open, her right eye became blinding to her. She tried to move to shield herself. The movement of her arm quaked like a ratchet joint as she raised her hand. She didn't stop with the unbearable pain that coursed through her as she slowly fought to raise herself upright.

Her hearing was muffled, she heard in the distance reassurances as someone blurry grabbed her extended hand. Familiar hands gently lowered her again. When her head laid flat again, the grey blob moved away, and the light faded in its intensity. Cinder's eyesight began to readjust. The world began to grow defined again to her.

She looked to herself first. Her right arm was laden with bandages and her hand itself was a web of old scars. Cinder tried to look to her left, but found that she couldn't. She was just unable to. She tried squinting, she tried to blink her left eye. Not only could she not see but she also couldn't feel her efforts mean anything.

"This, this shouldn't be happening…" Cinder's thoughts quaked. Her hands went to her face. Her left hand, she felt, was covered in bandages. But her right hand could feel a cover of sorts that wrapped her left side. Extending from her jawline to her forehead. She tried to follow the bandage but the pain in her arms grew insurmountable.

Her probing was followed by the grey figure emerging again, her loyal hound, Mercury held open a curtain. She narrowly saw the black cloth before a rather disheveled man ran in. Stopping beside Mercury. His voice was familiar, still distant as he quickly knelt by her side. As he grew closer, his features grew in familiarity. Cinder felt herself smiling through her pain, "Roman…" she began.

Roman smiled up at her, he looked tired. "Hey there boss. Good to see you…" He chuckled, Cinder noticed a well of tears beginning to form from his eyes. "Don't cry Roman, it's unbecoming to cry in front of your lady." Cinder smirked. He whimpered a chuckle. "It's unbecoming to leave your man hanging for so long. But that doesn't matter." Roman turned to Mercury, "Kid, water?" The boy nodded, he skulked out of the room.

Cinder's hand fell onto Roman's collar. "Roman, I am very grateful for your assistance…" Her lull cut short as she pulled him up close with a sudden burst of strength. Roman came almost nose to nose with the woman as she hissed. "...But why am I wrapped like a science experiment in some black hole?" The man quivered again. "Well… Long or short of it… We got our asses kicked and you took the brunt of the boot… Boss."

Cinder's grip tightened, "How badly?" Her hiss was growing darker, Roman felt his collar begin to heat ever so slightly. Cinder hissed through her pain, with a start she released Roman and growled as her arm and hand seized. Roman quickly caught the arm, and straightened the muscle. Beginning to ease the injury. As he did so he explained, "Well… You still have all seven limbs still…" He tried to joke, Cinder still sat in pain. She grunted violently, "Roman… I'll kill you…" Her yellow eye darted from the ceiling to the man.

Roman stammered, "Right, right… Well.-" Before he could further explain, Roman was interrupted by the parting of the black curtains and the reemergence of Mercury. The boy chuckled quietly, "Jeez did you two even wait before you started to test her muscles?" Roman slowly turned to the man with a deathly smile, Cinder growled through her teeth as her body fought against her. "I'll kill you both! Both, I swear!" Mercury merely approached a small bedside table and placed down a plastic cup and a bottle of water and left the two criminals again. Sweat evident on him as both the crime lords tracked him with polar opposite expressions. One wore a cool growl and the other a fixed smile, though the latter held a hand to his weapon.

As the boy left, Cinder began to feel her arm reduce in the cramp's magnitude. She began to pant with the regression. "Roman… Run down of this waking hell I'm in, now." She seethed. The man looked to her for a moment before he sighed. He began to grip her palm and massage her hand as he spoke.

His voice and expression looked distant as he spoke. "Well… We clearly didn't win. The Atlas fleet is above us and the attack looks like it's encouraging man to work together." Roman shrugged, "Not bad for existence but bad for us little people right now." Cinder's seething regressed, she thought back to her vague recollection of the battle. Her mouth formed a slit as Roman continued. "Neo and I... _encountered _Red up on the ship too. Bugger brought the whole thing down around us. Thank Oum for Neo's umbrella." Roman mused.

His soft smile dissipated quickly though, "For about two days after the fight, Ozpin and Ironwood were working their people to the bone to save people around here. Still are, but a lot more reconstruction and snow removal." Roman blinked and looked to Cinder. The woman had become engrossed in the work Roman did on her hand, he had moved onward to her forearm. Cinder fought the urge to moan in delight as he released her muscles pain.

Roman scoffed slightly at Cinder's expression. A mixture of pain, delight, and anger all balled into one impending supernova. Nevertheless, Roman proceeded as he was ordered. "Emerald and Mercury evacuated you from the bottom of Beacon tower. According to them, you had a nasty fall, and you know I'm no aura specialist. Even less so a medical professional..." Roman paused his work on Cinder's bicep. The woman's eye opened with a start, before turning back into a glare.

He seemed to catch his words, "... I think there are some injuries that can't be healed without a _real _doctor. Not just a Mafia maniac somewhere, or whatever organization you're from." Roman took her left hand and moved it fully into Cinder's view. "You're issues are with the meat, not the bone. I can wrap and bind but medical equipment isn't something we can just steal from abandoned shops…" Cinder inspected the arm, it was bandaged heavily like she had seen before. But upon a full look, she saw the dark red of blood staining the white bandage, her hand was stitched and in some spaces stapled closed.

It was grotesque. Cinder grew so fearful she had to slam her eye shut and violently look away. She looked toward the ground where Roman was. The man released the hand and laid the arm carefully straight. His visage approached Cinder. He almost knelt right beside her head, if it weren't for the table beside her, he'd likely be closer. "... Cin, do you have any more contacts? Adam and his mutts are up and out." His voice was far lower, sincere for a criminal. Cinder reopened her eye, Roman could spot a drop of a tear from it's corner. Her sigh shook him as she whispered, "No… No, we're on our own. I.. I'm afraid." Roman and Cinder sat in a high strong silence for a long period. The two simply looked at each other's visage, they began talking more. Not of planning, but of how much they had missed the other.

Cinder was near tears as she croaked, "You have no idea how much I hated to see that ship crash from the sky…" The woman amassed her strength to push herself up, Roman tried to stop her but failed. Her chest collided softly with his, her arms weakly wrapping around the man's neck as her head barely scraped his cheek. He smirked and chuckled, leaning further down to assist her. "And you don't know how hard those two days were without any word…" He breathed heavily, tears forming as he smiled.

Blake and Yang's conversation with Weiss was short but clear. The pair were currently running toward the nearest Bulwark docking station through the halls of Beacon Academy . They had scarcely enough time to prepare an entourage of supporters. Blake managed to get Sun away from his duties for the trip, he was currently at the dock preparing a ship.

Yang had talked Jaune and Pyrrha into assisting them with a few desperate shouts about her sister. Something along the lines of, "Come quick! Ruby and Weiss are being attacked!" Got the two newly found lovebirds to come hollering. Jaune and Pyrrha were close behind the two members of RWBY.

Pyrrha called up to Blake, "So where did you say they were when they got attacked?" Blake had a moment to dart her eyes to Yang. They had both agreed that they couldn't tell anyone about their teammates' capture of Emerald. Lest the enemy still had spies or the virus used in the fight was still listening. "They're on the outskirts of Vale, shore side. Probably just Grimm but they said to bring the big guns."

Jaune laughed, "Aw and you thought of us? That's so thoughtful." He said with a laugh and chuckle. Yang laughed as well, "Yeah man, you and your big buff girlfriend are the biggest of guns!" Blake rolled her eyes and Pyrrha blushed warmly.

They exited the halls of Beacon out on to the main quad. The group quickly reached the docking platforms for the VTOL craft. They came to a stop short of the proper platforms. A voice called out to them from their far left, "Over here!" Blake's head quickly turned to face the voice.

Far off the side, Sun stood by a medical class Bulwark. "Perfect..." Yang groaned. Blake smiled weakly at the blonde brawler, "Well, they did ask for medical supplies." Pyrrha and Jaune looked even more confused as the pilot, Sun, jumped off the ship.

"Hey Blake, ships good to go!" He called them. Jaune groaned, "Oh great, please tell me his team isn't coming to?" Pyrrha rubbed his slumped shoulders with a hopeful smile. Blake shook her head, "Just him as far as I know."

Yang looked to her partner with a slight scowl, Blake hastily defended herself. "Hey, he's the one person outside of us that can be trusted with a secret…" She said, pointing to her feline ears. Yang chuckled a bit with a roll of her lilac eyes. "Worst kept secret by the way…" She said as she and the couple began walking to the ship, Blake dawdling from behind.

Blake blinked for a moment, blushing brightly. "And what do you mean by that Xiao Long?!"

But the group paused in their walk slightly with the emergence of a figure sitting ridgely straight inside the Bulwar. His green uniform was only as synonymous as his trademarked mug of coffee and cane were.

Emerald barked again, "Just call it…" Weiss tugged the girl's macgyvered handcuffs like a dog owner. "Listen, you!..." Weiss barked in response. Ruby sighed and the argument, "Guys, come on…" She looked down at the scroll again. The phone app opened with only a few less than a page full of contacts.

Ruby sighed again, "Emerald, stop provoking your captor!" Weiss huffed in acceptance while Emerald balled her tied hands as they marched. "We're not classmates or… Whatever anymore! This is an admission of authority and you've taken my one phone call!" Emerald shouted again.

Weiss looked back to their captive, "To be fair, we did help you sew some of your older wounds and dry your tears." She said with a confident wink. Ruby then chuckled, "Weiss, stop provoking the prisoner!"

The group came to a stop at a corner, separated from the chilling winds. The day had progressed into late afternoon, the golden sun grew gold, slowly becoming ever more orange. The corner was lined with a few offices like buildings that were staut in height and size. The trio of girls looked across from their position to the other side of the road. A pier and shipping warehouse sat. It's loading area was filled with snow but the large hangar doors sat shut.

Emerald spoke with more haste, "If you don't call the number, two things are gonna happen…" The pair of huntresses turned to their prisoner. "... First, you'll never even get into the place. And two, your peaceful negotiations will turn bloody real quick. Now, dial the number and put me on." Weiss looked to her partner. The two seemed at a loss. "What are you going to say?" Weiss asked with a hint of venom. The tied prisoner rolled her eyes and pushed her open hands out. "What you told me to say and the keyword to get us in…"

Ruby reached to pass the phone but Weiss stopped her. "Explain exactly what you'd say…" She tugged on Emerald's restraints again. Emerald growled a bit before being met by the Ice Queen's glare. She relented, looking like a cornered dog. "...Two huntresses want to talk, and negotiate surrender." She mumbled, "Pippnigle…" Ruby and Weiss looked at each other once more. Matching smiles growing.

"What was that?" Weiss asked with a smile, raising her hand to her ear. Ruby giggled quietly behind her as she readied the scroll. Emerald hesitated a moment, sighing as her shoulders drooped a bit. "Pumpernickel… that's the keyword..." Emerald gawked, Ruby shook her head as she raised the device to Emerald's ear.

Emerald looked uneasy. Weiss' hand drifted slightly to her blade, and Ruby readied herself to run as well as she held the device. The sounds of the dial ringing filled the small street. Emerald squirmed another moment, "Come on you mute fu.-" She began as the sound of the ringer ended.

"Hi! So… Sorry for being out later than I planned but uh…" Emerald's eyes went to the two huntsmen. The pair of them differed greatly. Weiss' scowl froze her on the spot, her grip on her rope and sword didn't help. Emerald looked to Ruby, even though her stance made clear she could fight. The girl wore a pleading smile and look in her eyes. Emerald struggled to phrase herself.

"... Well, I found some friends." A noise came from the scroll that sounded like footfalls. "...Friends from school…" Emerald searched for the right words. "... Pumpernickel?" She mumbled into the receiver. The scroll sat silent for a moment, Emerald's eyes going to Weiss and Ruby. Weiss made a twirl gesture with her finger and an exasperated expression. Ruby looked like she was growing uncomfortable as she held the scroll.

The scroll hung up. All three of the girl's jaws dropped as they looked between themselves. "That's it? The mighty criminal empire of Vale…" Weiss said dismissively. Ruby gawked, "I thought you said somethone would respond!" Emerald raised her constricted hands, "I did, I did… And well. The phone operator was never the most talkative." She said with a worried chuckled.

A nock on glass came from behind them. The trio jumped onto the road behind them from the noise. The group searched for the origin, finding the source directly behind them. Within a glassed office, there stood the real henchwoman of Roman Torchwick. Emerald stomped her foot. "Neo! I thought we talked about scaring me to death!" She cried.

Neo responded with a roll of her eyes and a point to her mouth. Emerald gawked again, "Fair…" She growled. Neo then pressed a notepad hard against the window. Ruby and Weiss shared a glance again. Weiss scoffed, "Don't look at me. I have a prisoner." She said with a tug of the rope.

Ruby sighed and put the scroll back in the pack. She walked up to the window, and held the bag out for Neo to see. Ruby began shouting in an almost to commanding tone. "We have taken your comrades bag! We know how much this stuff is worth to you, so please come and negotiate with us. In exchange we will be merciful!" The leader looked over her shoulder at Weiss. The heiress shaking her head in her palm.

Neo looked between her and the bag confused. Her mouth slightly agape in confusion as well. Her free hand pointed gently at the notepad she was holding. Ruby then realized, she looked fervently at the page. She came so close she almost hit her nose on the glass. She read it and looked up at Neo confused. "You surrender? Really?" Ruby asked. Neo shrugged with a nod. "What happened to that fight to the end stuff?" Ruby coughed a laugh. Neo shook her head, and gestured to herself.

Neo's uniform that Ruby had fought her in was torn and ragged beneath a similar coat to Emerald's. It was clear she too was suffering from their sides complete failure. Ruby felt a small tinge of sympathy for the mute assailant, finding herself turning stoic however when remembering the same girl's close fight with her sister. "Fine…" Ruby said, looking at Neo again, "...What about the rest of your team?"

The assailant looked unphased for a moment as she tore the page and scribbled again. She took her time before she was finished. However, she tore and scrapped that one as well. Ruby looked to Emerald, their prisoner was twiddling her thumbs. Ruby raised her eyebrow at her, "Oh come on, you don't think we're the heads of this outfit do you?" Emerald scoffed, Weiss glared at the prisoner. "Then who is?" She demanded.

Emerald and Neo both paused for a moment, Neo in the middle of scribbling a note. One which she tore out and quickly replaced. She shoved a new one up close to the window. The note just said, "Firebitch…" Neo's shoulders jumped up and down like she was a mime, one that heard a stellar joke. Emerald however, was less than thrilled. "You little!..." Emerald tried to fight her way through Weiss' grip on her, "If she was here right now…!-"

"'If sHe waS hERe riGHt nOW!' That's you. That's what you sound like." Came from behind the group. Ruby and Weiss both leapt in surprise. Weiss' quickly drew her rapier on their not so silent observer.

Mercury, Emerald's friend from when they were undercover as they remembered, stood with his hands up. "What? I thought we were making fun of Emerald, Ice Queen?" He spat sarcastically. Emerald leapt as well from his sudden appearance, "Oum, Merc! You're gonna give someone a heart attack!"

Mercury laughed as he pushed Weiss' blade down and slid his hands into his pockets. "I'd be so lucky. So uh… What's uh. What's up?" He asked, leaning with his elbow on Emerald. She quickly brushed him off, "Ouch, dick." The gray clad boy coughed. Weiss and Ruby both looked between the boy and across the road to the warehouse. The large hangar door laid open just enough for someone to exit.

Ruby coughed, "Uh hi!..." she waved, "...We were just discussing negotiations for your surrender." Ruby said with a smile. Weiss' eyes rolled slightly as she sheathed her blade. Mercury nodded, his hand holding his chin. "Right, right. I got that from the whole. 'Who's in charge here!' whole, uh, whole vibe…" He turned to Neo and Emerald. "And y'alls answer was?"

Emerald held up her hands, still tied. "I surrendered cause they were gonna smash the medicine and stuff otherwise…" Mercury nodded, while Ruby and Weiss began to defend themselves. "Uh correction…-" Weiss started, "We were only going to smash it if you refused!" Ruby stated confidently. Only to have Weiss shake her head and grimace.

Mercury then looked from the two huntresses to Neo, "Now…" He whipped out his scroll and flashed a picture of the notepad and Neo holding it. "...She's up by the way." A notion that caused Neo to considerably pale at. Mercury turned to walk back toward the warehouse. He was texting on his scroll as he walked, waving back to the group. "...If you two _negotiators _actually wanna negotiate. They're this way…"

Ruby watched as Neo materialized into existence beside the boy. She could hear him telling her something she wasn't all to pleased with. "...Yeah I sent him the photo… Now, You're boned!" He shouted as he held the phone high in the air. Ruby smirked slightly, she then looked to Emerald. She approached the constricted girl who was smiling oddly enough. "Well I guess we don't need these anymore, huh?" Ruby said as she undid the knots.

Emerald's smile didn't fade but she did look more surprised. "Wow… that easy, huh?" Ruby smiled, "Well. I believe that honesty is the best policy, and you did help us so. Fairs fair for now, okay? We'll take the bag in though." Ruby said as she threw the rope to the snow pile, Weiss taking the bag with a grimace. "Heh, well. I guess we'll see how she takes this then…" Emerald called back to Ruby, running to rejoin her two allies.

Weiss approached from behind, her scroll in hand. "Blake says they are close, should we wait before we make more decisions without our team's input?" Her tone resembled her scowl. Ruby flinched at the hostility. "Weiss… Don't be like that…" Ruby tried to soothe the coming storm. Only to incur the opposite side effects. Weiss stomped her foot, "Ruby Rose!-" Weiss shouted, making Ruby leap back on her hind leg. Weiss realized the outburst and quickly regained her faculties. Going from ready to attack her leader. Switching to very similar to how Winter would conduct herself at the drop of a hat.

Ruby slowly reset herself and hesitantly prodded her partner, "Weiss. As my ever faithful partner and teammate…" Ruby began. Gaging Weiss' response, one of the heiress' eyebrows propped up from her statuesque position. "... What do you think? What should we do?" Ruby slowly said, hands folded in a begging form as she smiled worridley.

Weiss looked down at her partner cooly, before sighing exasperatingly. "Fine, alright Ruby. Let's go on in…" She said with a hand to her brow. Ruby squealed excitedly. "Weiss, do you not see!" She wrapped one of her arms around Weiss and put the other out into the open air. A smile beaming from her, "When in history has a huntress or huntsmen ever brokered the peaceful surrender of such villains!" Weiss rolled her eyes, "...You know that I can recite our history class verbatim, right?"

Emerald, Mercury, and Neo watched as their captors debated how they would proceed. "Well…" Emerald started, sighing as they watched the white dressed one smack her leader . "... What's the play?" she looked to Mercury. He looked uneasy. "I sent a word ahead to Roman, I think we should let him tell Cinder about this whole thing."

Neo saw a small notification sign pop up on Mercury's scroll, she put up ten fingers. Slowly counting down as she watched Mercury's phone light up with texts. Emerald laughed in the meantime while Mercury began to sweat, "I mean how bad could this go? We go willingly and they could cut us a good deal…" Emerald shrugged as the two huntresses began to approach their trio.

Neo tapped Emerald on her shoulder, displaying a three with her fingers. Mercury turned to look at the watch in the warehouse. Then two. The two huntresses in training finally joined their group. Then one.

From the warehouse they heard a loud, screeching shout that scared all of the surrendering group and made Ruby and Weiss' hairs stand on end. An echoing "What?!" Rang in the empty air, it seemed to stop the remaining wind and weather. Ruby mumbled quietly as the air quieted, "Did… Did it get warmer?"

Emerald felt it as well, it was evident with her chill losing strength as well as physical changes around them. Neo saw the icicles above the hangar door almost melt, beginning to slowly drip. Mercury swallowed hard and tried to make light to his comrades. "See? I was right about her being the perfect heater, hehe…" He quickly returned to an uneasy scowl. He took a deep breath and a step back to face the two huntresses. "Alright, so few rules…"

Weiss quickly retorted, "Oh no, you lot are surrendering. We should be setting how this goes down." The trio of criminals shared looks of recognition, Neo began to smile as she silently laughed. Emerald cringed for a moment at Weiss before turning away. Mercury scoffed, "Sure princess, you can do whatever. Just means this will boil to a fight real quick. One where someone will probably die."

Ruby went to interject, but was quickly stopped by the sounds of crunching snow from the hangar. The group turned slightly to see the source. From the blackened hangar, outstepped Roman Torchwick, his usual white jacket was gone and replaced with his rolled up cuffs of a black shirt. He was smoking, but not from a trademarked cigar. His shoulders looked like they were actually burning with rising black smoke. His head and hat were downcast.

"Well Neo…" He began, his voice still chipper, Mercury went to talk to him. "Roman, we can explain.-" But found the cane of the crime lord in his chest just as quick. "Shh, pip squeak. I got stuff to say to my right hand right now." The man looked past Emerald to the two Beacon students. "Hey Red, Snow Queen, just a moment before we all have a big talk, please?" Ruby nodded while Weiss scoffed, "It's _Ice _Queen…" She mumbled quietly.

Roman smirked as he looked down to Neo, though his smirk didn't hide his anxiety from her. "Neo… I need you to go get her set, okay?" The girl nodded. She began to sign to the man something no one could understand. Roman took a moment to interpret, he looked genuinely thoughtful about what she had offered. "No to the first thing about running, and yes to the second…" And with that Neo nodded again and marched off to the warehouse.

Roman called after her, "Don't let her take the bandages off though, replace them, yes! Remove them all, no!" Neo gave a thumbs up as she entered the black. Roman then turned back to the group. Planting his cane firmly in the ground and leaning onto it with a hand to his chin. He scanned his bosses' lackies for a moment. "Em, they rough you up?" Ruby was perplexed by the genuine sounding care that came from the crime lord. Emerald shook her head, "Nope, in fact they let us get the first aid here." Emerald smiled limply as she pointed to the bag Weiss held.

Roman's smirk grew as he looked to Weiss. "Would you mind terribly if Em takes that in? Might need it sooner than later if you catch my meaning." His tongue sounded far more tired than either of the huntresses were used to, Ruby felt slightly uncomfortable with the familiarity that came from him. Weiss nodded meekly, she handed the bag out to the girl. Emerald snatched it quickly and moved past Roman a step. He quickly reacted, lightly grabbing her shoulder.

The crime boss leaned toward the girl's ear, and she moved her ear closer to his. Ruby barely made out what he had to say. "Just leave it by her door, I'll text Neo. Don't want someone to kill someone, kay kid?" He finished with a tired smirk. Emerald hesitated, but nodded and carried on, as Roman looked to the grey haired boy. "Listen Roman, if anything bad happens blame me." Mercury started, except Roman merely put up his hand. "Don't worry kid, life's a card game. We just played the wrong card with the wrong hand." Roman said as his eyes fell on Ruby and Weiss, the pair had their hands close to their weapons.

Roman didn't break eye contact with Ruby as he chuckled, "Merc, head on in and get the meeting room set for our guests and us alright. Get Em to help when she's done with the bag, okay?" Mercury took a moment, he looked back to the pair waiting behind him before deciding. He looked to Roman and spoke solemnly, "It was a good card game though, gotcha Roman."

When Ruby, Weiss, and Torchwick were the final three standing in the setting sun, the wind seemed to stop again. Roman got up from his cane with a slight groan. Ruby again, seemed uncomfortable hearing the man in pain over something. He pushed himself upward with a few cracks to his back. He summoned his charm once more, however tired it was. "Sorry kids, where are my manners… Y'know, I don't ever think I've met your acquaintance properly…" Ruby and Weiss both saw the man's scars that etched his forearms. Unsure if they were new or old by their colour or depth.

The crime lord extended his hand to the red hooded huntress and with his most charming voice chuckled out, "Roman Torchwick, survivalist and economic entrepreneur. At your service, Miss?..." Ruby smiled a little as she looked to the man's extended hand. She took it on her own and mimicked his speech pattern, "Ruby Rose, huntress in training and leader of team RWBY." They shook hands as Roman looked to the heiress. "... And you are Miss?" He asked calmly. Weiss summoned up her formal voice much to Ruby's comedy, "I am Weiss Schnee, huntress in training, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and member of Team RWBY." She put her hand out to be shaken.

Roman smirked, "Oh my mistake heiress." He bowed slightly, and kissed her knuckle. Weiss recoiled in surprise, while both Ruby and Roman chuckled. Weiss looked in abstract horror. "Are you sure you're not related?" Weiss said with a wipe of her knuckle. The pair smiled slightly as they shook their heads. "Not as far as I know, flowers and torches never go well together…" Ruby commented, Roman smirked as he stood upright again.

He removed a cigar and his lighter, "All the same to you Red, er, Ruby…" He finished lighting the thick roll and exhaled a cloud into the air. "...I don't think you would wanna be related to this trash bin I'm keeping together either."Ruby and Weiss both twisted their heads a tad, Weiss vocalized their questions first. "Do you mean you're…?" She said as she pointed in reference to the warehouse's occupants. Roman coughed slightly, laughing as he did so. "Oh no, Oum no!..." He gestured with his cigar into the darkening air, leaving a trail. "...No, well. Kinda, not by blood. I guess... I'd be the kids' father figure I guess."

Ruby and Weiss both shared a moment of complete disbelief. Ruby snickered slightly, "In all our fights I never took you as the family type." Weiss chuckled as well, her hand finally dropping from her Rapier. Roman chuckled with a shrug, "Well… Neither did I…" Roman's expression fell slightly, he looked more… sad than he had previously had been, "...But the things you find yourself doing for the ones you care about, right…"

Weiss felt her stomach twist with his words, she looked sideways to Ruby who's smile seemed softer at the moment. "Right." She mumbled. Ruby was going to say something when her scroll began to ring vibrantly. "Sorry!..." The young leader said hastily. She whipped open her scroll and took a step away from the other two participants.

The scroll caller blared out '_Burn_' and the caller ID read _Dragon Fighter Sis, _Ruby whispered to herself, "Oh… Darn, not now Yang." She quickly answered it. "Hey there Yang…" A burst of white noise came through the speaker that almost defended the red hooded leader. "Ruby! Hey we're almost there! Just hold out a little while longer okay?!" Ruby blinked as she registered what was being said by her sister over the engines of the presumed Bulwark. "Yang!" Ruby tried to stop herself from screaming into the scroll so close to her enemy and partner, "What do you mean?! Don't come in guns blazing!"

The roaring of engines was growing evident on the horizon in the distance. Roman squinted and held a hand to his brow. "Friends of yours? Cause ours all left…" Weiss followed his gaze and her brow shot up, "Oh dammit…" She whispered. Ruby kept trying to talk to Yang but to little avail. Ruby spun around quickly, the roaring of the Bulwark's engine was loud in the otherwise silent road.

The Bulwark pulled in just above the street and opened its doors. From the doors dropped down all of the reinforcements that Weiss had requested from her teammates. Yang, Blake, Pyrrha, Jaune, and Sun all leaped from the vehicle. As the craft began to descend another couple tens of meters down the road.

The entourage Weiss had requested had their weapons drawn, Yang was practically on top of Torchwick with her blonde buddies Jaune and Sun. Pyrrha dropped on the street along beside Blake. "It's alright Ruby, Weiss. We'll get this criminal tool." Sun spat with a twirl of his weapon, "Been looking for a rematch geizer…" Roman began to back up, his expression not changing from a stone like quality as he raised the cane across his body. Jaune was the first to move on the crime lord, his sword coming down just on Roman's chest.

Roman stumbled on snow as he went to try and block the attack but failed, slipping and completely exposing himself in the process. Jaune's strike would have stuck him if it weren't for Weiss. Her rapier came into contact with Jaune's sword. The newly arrived crew stood confused, "Weiss?..." Jaune cried, "What are you doing?" He whispered fervently.

Weiss was slightly taken aback by the boy's new confidence, but not perturbed. "I think I may have miss-translated our situation!" She called the group. Ruby quickly joined Blake and Pyrrha at the street, "Guys the situation is under control." she said with her usual amount of theatricality. Pyrrha and Blake, with their weapons drawn, look at each other. Blake is the first to ask, "What is going on Ruby?"

It takes a moment for the whole group to trust Torchwick to stand on his own for a moment, even if it's only five feet from their main huddle. Weiss and Ruby explain their thoughts and plans. "Let me get this straight…" Jaune says, his hand to his temple, "You want to just? Talk with these… terrorists, they are responsible for what's just happened here guys…" Jaune said with a scowl. Ruby nodded and begged, "Listen to me, they're people too. We know next to nothing about them. Let's just hear them out."

Pyrrha put a hand to Jaune's back, "Ruby, you and I both saw their leader in the battle… She clearly doesn't share your likeness to speech before violence." Pyrrha sounded saddened by the fact, like she wanted to believe Ruby. Weiss joined Ruby at her side, "Listen, if you don't think these _terrorists_. Aren't capable of owning up and acting like people…" She pointed outside of the group toward Torchwick. Still stood where he had previously been, smoking the same cigar and watching the sunset. "Look at the mighty crime lord… They are people, not just empty husks of hate." Weiss turned to Blake, "Blake, you met and talked to Emerald, same with you Yang."

The pair of them varied, Blake looked off mournfully while Yang looked far more aggressive. Practically spitting, Yang's eyes turned vidily red and she said, "...And we met Mercury in the Vital festival…" Yang's metal arm whirled as she formed a fist. Weiss hesitated, as Ruby stepped up to her sister. "Yang… please, think about Blake…" Yang quickly looked to her partner, and back to her sister. She put a hand out in front of the Faunas girl.

"What about Blake, Ruby?" Yang turned very defensive as Blake's ears flattened against her head. Sun cut in, his voice is a little more than a mumble but just as strong, "The same White Fangwe fought were the same ones that Blake fought to run from. Blake left them all behind because she saw the people growing worse..." Sun put a hand onto Blake's shoulder for support, she smiled weakly at him. Blake cringed at the thought of the White Fang all the same though, as Yang's arm dropped slightly from it's rigid position.

"Not all people stay bad Yang…" Ruby finished with, Blake looked to her leader with a nod. Blake spoke for the first time since the beginning of the huddle, "I… I trust you Ruby." Yang turned on her quickly, "Blake… Why would you want to talk with these nutjobs?" Yang gestured to the warehouse, "They're part of the reason the White Fang went all crazy!" Yang shouted, Blake sighed, "Yang. People aren't always bad. _Adam, _wasn't always bad. Every person who we can convince to not go down that path is a person worth talking to."

Yang stared at her partner, their gaze meeting for a heated moment, before Yang sighed. Her eyes returning to lilac. "Okay, Ruby. We'll talk to them. Jaune, Pyrrha... Sun?" Jaune and Pyrrha both looked to one another, Sun nodded right away. "It's a good plan Ruby." The monkey faunas said with his usual swagger. Pyrrha sighed, "I trust you Ruby, but keep in mind how the leader thinks. We don't know how she'll respond to your offer..." Jaune nodded as the warrior spoke.

Ruby clapped her hands, "Thank you. Alright, Team RWBY. Let's get going!" She said enthusiastically. The remainders began to head for the Bulwark. "Weiss!" Pyrrha called, the heiress turned, "Call if there is an issue, we'll come running!" Pyrrha smiled as she held her scroll aloft. Weiss smiled and gave her a thumbs up, before running to catch her team.

Ruby, was getting ready to run ahead when she heard her name being called, "Miss Rose!" Ruby froze in her tracks as sweat began to form on her brow. She turned quickly to be eye to eye almost with her Headmaster, Ozpin. "Ahh, uh. Professor Ozpin hehe… Why are you here?" Ruby tried to joke off as she pressed her two index digits together. The grey haired man smiled, he swirled what was likely the remnants of his coffee in his mug. "Miss Rose, did you think that I wouldn't notice a foreign student from Vacuo, two of your teammates, and two of your close friends… steal a medical shuttle?" Ozpin said with a small smile and wit. Ruby froze slightly, she felt like a deer in headlights. "Well… Professor, we heard that there would be people in trouble here so we… _ I _put my team up to it." Ruby said as she tried to look taller to the man.

Ozpin looked down at her for a moment with the same soft smile, he closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. "Miss Rose, you are very much like your mother." He looked at her again with a proud gaze, "I can surmise your intentions with merely talking with Torchwick…" He said with a nod to the man that was conversing with someone on his scroll. "...And I can suspect that I can guess what you'd like done with the people he represents." Ozpin's smirk retained its size as he looked to the smaller Ruby. She scratched her head as he did so. "Professor… They're just… They can't be evil incarnate can they? They are just people… Even if they've been twisted." She pleaded.

Ozpin was silent for a moment, as if contemplating something. After a moment he shook his head. "Miss Rose, you don't know the half of evil incarnate…" His smile faded a touch. The small action made Ruby fear the worse as she felt her stomach well with fear. "...But." He began, giving Ruby a facet of hope. "...Whatever you do here, today. You have my blessing. I won't intervene." Ozpin said as he placed a hand upon Ruby's shoulder. "Then. Do you mean?" Ruby began, her eyes sparkled with hope. The older man nodded, "If you find a way, yes. I think it's only fair that the person to bring them down should decide their fate. I will send you a document that assures that." Ozpin said with his smirk and a twirl of his mug. Ruby jumped, before she knew it, she was hugging the elderly professor. When she realized this she jumped back, "You won't regret this sir!" She stammered as she sped off to catch up with her crew. Ozpin smiled as he looked back to his mug, frowning slightly as he went for his scroll. "Glynda? I have a wild story for you… and I need a vertibird…"

Once more fully convened, team RWBY approached the crime lord, Roman looked back from the sunset as he hung up his scroll. He looked between the fleeting man in green and the retreating horde of extra huntsmen and huntresses. With a coy smirk, he joked, "Took some convincing, hmm? Eh, I wouldn't blame you. Talking with the big boss took me a few weeks of threats before I kicked the bucket too." Roman stuck out his hand to Yang. "Roman Torchwick, and you are?..."

Yang took his hand with a hard grasp, Roman made a pained sound as she shook, "Yang Xiao Long, and if you try to pull anything over on my sister I swear…" She deadpanned. Ruby quickly cut in, "Yang! Quit hurting the man!" Roman chuckled lowly as he grabbed Yang's wrist. "Wouldn't dream of it kid…" When Yang finally let go, she walked on past the group, forcing Ruby to rush to catch up and calm her down. Roman in the meantime worked his hand well before stepping to Blake.

The Faunas chuckled, "Sorry about her, your friends pulled a dirty move on her in the final and I don't think she's happy about it." Blake said with a nod to the yellow brawler. She put out her hand for Roman to take, "Blake Belladonna, I want to get this to work but with the same threat as Yang…" Blake sneered slightly. Roman chuckled again, "Don't worry about it kid. I won't be the one trying to pull anything." The sound of crunching snow led to Weiss rejoining them from the road.

Roman smirked at her return, "Ah, Snow Queen!... Ready to get this show on the road?" Weiss had to take a moment to compute the man's words before she huffed, "Ice… How hard is it to be an Ice Queen again?..." The white gowned girl said as she almost sullenly skulked back to the sisters. Blake and Roman both chuckled, much to the jargon of Blake's moral standing.

From the black of the warehouse, emerged Neo. She waved highly in the air with a jacket tied to a stick. Roman squinted for a second, before turning to fuming. "Put my jacket down you brat!" His reaction summoned a silent giggle from the bodyguard. Yang scowled as the tri haired girl started signing to the man. She looked to Ruby, "And to keep up my tally on why they can't be trusted…" Yang scowled as she pointed softly to Neo, "...That one tried to stab me on the train." Ruby tried to pull off a small smile to mask her concern, "Neo seems nice anyway, Yang. Maybe you'll be fast friends?" She finished with a chuckled as Yang rolled her eyes. Weiss looked to Ruby with a short shrug.

Roman finished his silent conversation with Neo, she stood by the door with her parasol in hand. Roman and Blake rejoined the small amassing group a few feet from the doors. He stepped out in front of the group, "Now those rules…" Roman began his cheerful nature seemed to regress in favour of his cautious side. Team RWBY listened with varied levels of attention, but still took in the information.

Roman placed his cane down in the snow to stand with. "Rule one is simple, when we get in. To your left there will be a place for your weapons. Put them there…" He said so casually, Yang's eyes turned a light pink in response. "You don't really think we're going to go into your… criminal… whatever!" Yang began, "And just give you our weapons?" The crime lord looked between the group for a moment. "You realize none of you are gonna be 'unarmed' right? Red there is as fast a train, Snow White there is a walking cannon with the force or something, Kitty is a trained assassin, and you could crush my head with literally any part of your body…" Roman flippintly explained. He drew a rouse from his crowd, so much so Neo began to step from her position. Almost on cue, Roman raised his hand to stop her. "Besides…" Roman continued with a smirk, "We will have our stuff there too. More of a home insurance thing no one argues and burns the place down…"

Ruby put a hand to her sister's shoulder and gave her a weak smile. Yang huffed but nodded, "Fine…" Roman clapped with a smile, "Perfect negotiators, rule two is simple. Don't interrupt the kids or the boss. Good edicate and we will get more done if she ain't fuming." The team nodded, Weiss raised her hand politely though, "Already getting the hang of it Snow White?" Roman chuckled. Weiss recoiled her hand slightly, "You keep referencing your boss but never told us what to call her. It's Cinder right?" Weiss looked to Ruby, the girl who had fought her. "The third one of that team who entered the festival?" Ruby nodded, looking a little sideways at the warehouses dark interior becoming more clear with the setting sun.

Roman shrugged, "Cinder's fine. Just don't call her what I would call her. She'll burn the place down…" The team of junior negotiators looked very confused for a moment. Blake looked between the building and Roman, "Is there a… Relationship there?" She and Yang shared a small smirk as Roman turned a light red in the evening light. He coughed a bit before straightening his back more. Neo looked like she was being tickled in a silent film in the doorway. "Rule three! Rule three… If you four want a drink, bathroom, or whatever. Don't just skulk off, just ask someone." No resistance came from the group, a shrug from Blake and he was onto the last rule.

He turned to begin walking, "Rule four is easiest. Knock the snow off your shoes, we're not animals here." With that the group began to march into the maw of the beast. Neo at the door signed to Roman, "Neo says we've been setup in the meeting room upstairs. So drop off your stuff and she'll take you up." Roman said with a confident wink as he placed cane down and scraped his shoes off.

The man carried off down a hall to their left, where it felt like an enormant amount of the heat was coming from. Ruby felt her hair stand on end as she watched the, now familiar, former crime lord wander down the hall and out of sight. She looked to the mute assailant however, she still held her notepad and a pen with a feather. She smiled innocently enough but Yang's quick approach to her made it into a smirk. Yang still wore her gauntlets, and Neo her parasol.

Yang almost growled as she towered over the girl, "Hey pipsqueak... Remember me?" Yang almost bared teeth as she saw the girl scribble on the page with a grin. The page was adorned with the most legible lettering Yang had ever seen, "Yeah… I remember beating you up a lot. ;) Wanna rematch sometime?" A moment of silence descended as team RWB behind Yang slowly placed their weapons down. Yang's expression began to smirk as she nodded. "Yeah, I uh. I got some stuff to work on…" Neo smiled as she flipped her page and wrote again, "I'd love to spar again, you were probably one of the tougher ones." Again, with a winky face.

Yang chuckled, she removed her gauntlets and took a few more steps into the warehouse. Weiss approached from behind, "So this is where all of our problems were made, huh?" The two looked around the lowly lit warehouse. Sparse of shipping containers or a staff for that matter. Neo walked in front of them and shrugged. When Ruby and Blake joined them, Neo gave them a wave to follow.

She took the group of huntresses to a stairwell to the right side of the warehouse, built into the wall and short in height. But upon exiting onto the catwalks of the second floor. The main room seemed predominantly warmer than it had been just two minutes ago. Blake mentioned it first, "What's the heating bill for this place? It feels like Vacuo here..." She said with a tug to her collar. Neo smirked as she clicked her pen, when they got to an open room, shining with white light. Neo presented her pad, "Depends on the boss' mood…" She held up with a smile and hand presenting the meeting room.

Team RWBY filled in quickly to the small boardroom, Ruby was cheerful and optimistic but the remaining group of her team was still anxious. Neo nodded her head to Yang as she closed the door softly behind her. The room featured a long table of black wood, and the dull white walls of an office building. On one side of the table were two empty chairs in the middle of one side that reflected four empty seats. The wall on the side of the two chairs had a small whiteboard. Which Emerald and Mercury were playing tic tac toe upon. In the corner of the room, in the back left corner of the room sat a sadly decorated Life Day tree.

Emerald mumbled as it looked like she had lost once more, "Agh. Best of nine?" Mercury nodded with a smirk as he wiped the board again. Team RWBY continued into their side of the room. Behind their chairs was a hip height window that allowed them to look out across the lower loading yard and river line that connected Vale to Mountain Glenn. Ruby stepped to the window, watching the river flow gently as ice and snow moved down in hunks.

Weiss and Blake both walked over to Emerald and Mercury, the two were still playing their drawing game. Both Weiss and Blake exchanged a worried glance as they inspected the two former students. Weiss had not noticed Emerald's bandaged self before. Both of them had extensive lines of tape around their arms, Mercury had a roll around his forehead as well. Both of their clothes were heavily ripped and torn, likely the same they had worn in the battle.

Blake's voice was more shy than she'd likely admit at that moment, "Uh, hey guys." Blake smiled a waved, both Emerald and Mercury turned with soft smiles. Weiss smiled at the reception as well, "What's up?" Weiss said with a wave. Emerald crossed her arms and joked, "Not much, just getting used to having my hands unbound, Ice Queen." Weiss chuckled as she scratched her neck. Blake looked to the white haired member of RWBY, confused. "You didn't, Weiss… Did you?" Blake said with a coughing laugh. Mercury smirked as he leaned backward on the wall. "Well… Yes I did. But she was still a suspect." Weiss shrugged slightly.

Emerald glared for a moment before Mercury pushed her shoulder with a roll of his eyes. "Oh come on Em…" The girl bit back chuckle as she recovered from the push. "Don't worry about it Weiss, I mean… Don't get me wrong, stealing was fun but…" Emerald looked to Mercury, he nodded with a scoff. "...Everything comes to an end, right? Maybe we could go legit… One day when we're let out. If Ruby's words are as good as she promises..." Blake's ears raised slightly, "What makes you think that Ruby's word wouldn't be enough?"

Emerald and Mercury looked between the two huntresses in training. Emerald scoffed, "For one she's young, and two we don't have any evidence that anything we agree to here would be concrete for…" Emerald waved her hand in a circle. Mercury snapped his fingers with a certain amount of corniness, "Oh! Our surrender!"

Across the room, Yang slowly approached Ruby. Her sister was playing with her red cloak as she stared out the window. "Rubes… I'm sorry for being an ass but…" Yang started, Ruby didn't make a move to respond. "Rubes? Ruby?" Yang spoke a little louder. Snapping her sister from her trance, "Oh! Sorry Yang, I must have zoned out…" Ruby said with a start. "Got some things on my mind.-" Ruby began when she got a ping on her scroll. She looked at it quickly, a document from Glynda Goodwitch.

Ruby quickly opened the document, Yang looking at her confused. 'What's that, sis?" Yang said slowly, Ruby smiled brightly as she read the page. She took a moment before she looked up to Yang. "Oh nothing, just how I get to save Remnant _and _make us some friends all at the same time."Ruby stated proudly.

Ozpin was being chased back to his office in the main Beacon offices by both Winter Schnee and her general, James Ironwood. Winter gocked at what Ozpin had told them moments ago. "How are you leaving this in the hands of a… A… Girl?!" Winter barked. "...Not even Weiss should, or could make the choices that would be needed!" Winter exasperated as the three of them entered Ozpin's temporary office. Far more cozy than his previous lodgings.

Ironwood put a hand out in front of his specialist. "Winter! Enough. Wait outside." He commanded. Winter's surprise was shown clearly with her expression, "Sir, he's willingly just put Weiss. My sister is in harm's way of an anarchist!" Winter said with a rigid finger directed at Ozpin's back. "Winter… Outside." Ironwood dead panned. The Specialist hesitated, wanting to continue their argument. But thought better of it, instead, stomping a salute and marching outside.

When the office's door was slammed shut, Ironwood sighed. "Oz. Why can you not tell me these things?" He sounded tired, "Atlas is already rebuilding most of Vale. Only by my begging did the council think to help as well." James said with a swat of his hand. Ozpin sighed as he laid his cane against the office desk. "Jame's…" Ozpin turned to face the General, "...I know that they have a spotty record, but team RWBY will make the right decision… I know it." Ozpin said with a prominent begging tone.

Ironwood paced across the floor, hands folded behind him as he fidgeted with them nervously. "Oz, I just want to be told that these kinds of things are happening. Maybe then I can tell you the future of the world shouldn't rest with four children…" Ozpin smiled, "James, the children are the future." Ozpin turned to his desk, grabbing his scroll. Opening it to a document and handing it to Ironwood.

"What is this?" Ironwood said as he grabbed the scroll. Ozpin smirked as James read the scroll. A look of confusion began to spread across the General's face, "Oz, what is this?" Ozpin smirked as he began to explain, "It's my authorization that anything agreed to in that meeting will be recognized by Beacon and Vale." James looked from Ozpin back down to the scroll with a defeated expression, "I surmised that Vacuo and Haven will agree to my better judgement but Atlas is never so clear…" Ozpin said with a shrug.

James read the document again with a tired look, he released a heavy sigh. "I'll see what I can do. But I can't just keep taking your word for these things Oz." Ironwood said after a brief silence. Ozpin smirked as James handed his scroll back before he turned and went to leave. When the door closed behind him, Ozpin went to his scroll again and dialed a number. "Glynda? How are our class sizes for the coming semester?" He asked with a cunning smile.

Ruby sat in the chair toward the middle of their row. She had Weiss to her left, closest to the door. Yang and Blake to her right, the blinds behind their seats had been left open with the setting of the sun. The white lights made the outside near black against their blinding light. Yang sat with her feet on the edge of the table and played games on her scroll with Blake who rested her own head on Yang's shoulder. Weiss removed her scroll's stylus to outline and draw around a copy of the document that Ruby had shared with her in confidence. The two of them discussed and outlined Ruby's plan for the meeting to come soon.

Mercury and Emerald had been called from the room by a smiling Neo almost half an hour ago. The pair of them both swore they would return. Emerald had even given Ruby her phone number in the event something were to happen. Ruby found their swear of conviction extremely odd. She had responded to their departure by looking at Weiss and in a moment of anxiety said, "They are going to come back right?" to which Weiss gave a half hearted nod.

Yang had opened the door at one point in their seclusion, "Not locked…" The blonde chuckled nervously as she gently looked into the warehouse beyond. "I can still see our weapons… and theirs." Blake continued to play her game and mumbled, "Told you they hadn't left." Yang had rolled her eyes theatrically, "And how did you know that?" Yang said with a soft smile. Blake simply smirked as she replied, "Faunas hearing, good for something, hmm?"

It was almost nine pm by the time a knock came at the door. The small negotiation team of RWBY didn't know how to reply, so Ruby simply panicked and shouted, "Come in!" Weiss looked to Ruby with a small aghast expression. She whispered to her leader, "_Come in? _What are we their school deans?" Ruby shrugged as the doorknob began to twist.

Yang removed her feet from the table and stood rigidly from her chair. Blake threw her scroll down on the table and Weiss folded her palms neatly, her knee bouncing as she did so. Ruby sat completely still for a moment as she saw the door fold open. Ruby stood with a start as it did so, Yang collapsed from buckled knees back into her chairs.

Neo held the door open for the group, her face was skewed, slightly panicked but still stolen in confidence. The team saw that her clothes were repaired, cleaned even. Same was to be said about her figure as well, no traces of scratches were visible on the bodyguard. Neo looked to Ruby and nodded at her scroll fast. Ruby saw the nod and thankfully so did Weiss. Weiss flipped the scroll over and clicked it on to see a new message. It came from Emerald, it simply stated, "_Shake her hand._"

The darkness of the doorway slowly gave way to the figure of Mercury, he too looked refreshed. He moved to stand behind the two chairs against the wall opposite Yang and Blake. He didn't so much scowl as he held an expression of odd stress. Emerald came in quickly following Mercury, cleaned as well.

The darkness held sway for a moment, the heat of the hallway was creeping into the room slowly. Team RWBY heard the intimidating and almost deafening clicking of heels on the metal catwalk beyond the door. Ruby watched as the darkness began to glow. Ruby saw the burning, and intricate design of a dress within the black before she saw the fire like orbs that made the mighty Cinder Fall's eyes.

The woman dressed herself in the same dress Ruby had beat her in during the Battle of Beacon. She carried herself like the same monarch that RWBY had seen during her roose as a Haven student long ago. Her mane of hair cast a black shadow over her eyes, the mane blocked out her left eye like it had done before the battle. But her opposite eye burned like fire as she looked down on the negotiating teams. Cinder was two steps into the room when her voice broke the most intimidating silence RWBY had ever seen. "So you wanted to talk?"

Ruby panicked, the room almost exploded in rose petals as she sprinted up to Cinder. The gust of her run made the entering Roman stumble in the doorway, and the dress and mane of the Fall maiden flutter in the run's wind. Ruby extended her hand with a great smile and beaming eyes staring up at Cinder. "Hi!..." Ruby cried, Cinder backed up slightly with the girl's movement. Her stance twisting from her malicious demeanor, to one of confusion. "Uh…-" Cinder had replied coolly as she put out her hand slowly, as Ruby resumed her speech and gripped Cinder's hand with both of her own. "...I'm Ruby. You knew that, we've met! Oh, I'm going to cut y'all the best deal in the history of deals! Oh, this is my team!" Ruby cried as she pulled Cinder by her hand.

Roman entered the room and had a mix of sheer terror and humour as Cinder was tugged along by the small red hooded girl. Neo's sweat grew as she watched the lady of crime be tugged. Cinder's eyebrows flew up as Ruby pulled and stopped at the drop of a hat. She was pulled to the first chair and Ruby through her hand out. "This is Weiss! She is my right hand girl with these talks! Say hi Weiss!" Weiss turned in the office chair, her hand shaking as she waved at the still terrifying looking Cinder. "Hi! _Miss Fall_?" Weiss panicked as she talked. Cinder did the same with the on the spot introduction. "Uh. Hello, Weiss." Cinder coughed as she waved back.

Mercury looked panicked to Emerald who was sweating bullets by this point. They stared in absent horror as Ruby pulled the most intimidating boss ever like a child would with their mother two chairs over. Cinder tried to give protest, Roman watched her try and pull her hand from the girl's grasp to little success, "Oum, you're strong…" Cinder groaned as she was pulled. Ruby stopped again, Cinder bumping into her slightly, "Agh, sorry." Cinder said under her breath.

Mercury looked to Roman, Neo to Emerald, Emerald to Mercury, Roman to Neo. One thought invaded their minds, Roman mouthed to Neo. "Did Cinder just apologize?" Now all of them were sweating bullets, and Weiss noticed the change in the colour of their skin that was beginning to turn red from sweat. Weiss turned to the red gowned woman and her partner. The former looked to have a half lit smile and unease to her while the latter looked like a child on their birthday.

"And this is Blake she's my senior officer of reading! Say hi to the nice woman Blake!" Ruby called as she skipped past Yang by accident. Blake and Cinder, caught off guard by the motion both choked on their words. Both blinked at the other, "Uh… Nice eyes?" Blake coughed, Cinder did the same, "Thanks… Yours as well?"Mercury had to turn to face the wall, Emerald saw as his mouth quivered with a threat of laughter. He looked down to his comrade as she violently shook her head.

Then without warning, Cinder was pushed back a step by Ruby. Nearly falling over her heels, but was caught under her arms and hoisted back up by a flurry of roses. "Cinder! This is Yang, she's my sister and threatened to beat up anyone who tried to screw with me!" Ruby said with pride and a prestigious expression, like a poster as she looked to Cinder. Yang stood up, she stood a few inches shorter than the tortured Cinder. Yang scowled at her slightly, inspecting her almost as Cinder fought to regain her usual scowl. Finding it difficult with Yang's inspection happening right beside Ruby, the single happiest human being Cinder had _ever _seen. So Cinder stood, half smiling half scowling at the blonde brawler. After a moment of her inspection. Yang jumped from her scowl to a smile similar, if not aged, to Ruby's. "I have so many puns to make and so little time, let's settle on the obvious…" Yang said as she put her elbow onto Cinder's shoulder and what Cinder suspected was bedroom eyes.

"Heya, you are one _scorching piece of ash._" Yang finished with a wink, Cinder's mind went blank and the auto pilot took over. Her sharp smile spoke more than her malicious eyes, "Oh you won't be seeing any _ash _anytime soon with gauntlets like those." The silence following the comment broke the entire standing crowd. Roman ran back into the warehouse and shouted laughs into the black. Mercury punched the wall as her barked laughs wildly. However, most importantly both Emerald and Neo began laughing. Their concentration breaking from their objectives.

Cinder saw their shouts of laughter and quickly forcibly summoned some heat into the spot where Ruby held her. The girl released her, she squealed like she had touched a boiling pan. Cinder retreated to the window, facing away from the group. "Ruby!" The huntresses called at once, all jumping to stand at once. The unified shout brought the other party back to their senses quickly. Roman ran back into the room, his expression turned very worried. Neo and Emerald both realised far too late what their outburst of laughter had caused.

As their outfits and complexions began to glitter like a mirage, and in Cinder's case. Fall apart like glass. Cinder turned her left side away from the huntresses as they began to descend on her. Team RWBY looked around the room and took in their opposition. Weiss saw Roman and Neo, the latter looked exhausted. They looked just as dirty and cut from that afternoon. Blake saw the partners in crime scuttle their positions as Emerald collapsed to the floor, Mercury barely catching her. Yang leapt in front of Ruby out of reflex. Both she and her sister watched the shards of glass fall from the red gowned woman in droves. "Neo!" The woman shouted violently. The tri haired bodyguard tried to summon another illusion but was forced to lean against Roman to stand, as did Emerald from Mercury's grasp but to little avail.

The room sat silent for a while, Ruby stared at Cinder. The domineering woman who had just entered the room was now… shivering? She shook violently as she held her left side to the black window. Her visible eye looked directly at Neo at the door. Her voice no longer sounded as refined, now more akin to a venomous growl with a rasp to it. "You couldn't keep it together for another few minutes?!" Cinder's growl forced Neo to cringe in fear as Roman got the small guard to lean on the door.

Roman then made a few long bounds to get to Cinder, standing in front of her like a shield as RWBY began to approach Cinder and him. His usual jokes were abandoning him as he put his hands out, Weiss barked as she stepped closer to the two criminals. "Torchwick! What is happening right now?" Ruby hesitated, her voice quiet as she massaged her palm, "What's wrong with her?" The red caped girl whispered. Roman watched the huntresses approach, he put his left hand back placing it on Cinder's shoulder. "Now hold on! Listen, listen! We can explain." He said as he nodded with a hopeful smile.

Yang went from her sister to join in on their pressing of Roman, "I told you, I told you they would pull something!" She shouted as her eyes began to change to red. Blake put her back to the scene to watch the remnants of the other group. The three remaining of their enemy were making no moves.

Blake watched as Neo slid down to her rear from the door, pale and sickly looking. Emerald was in a similar state, she was being cradled by her grey coloured counterpart. Mercury looked worried as he looked from Emerald to Neo, Blake thought quickly. She quickly ran to Neo. She knelt beside the small bodyguard, Neo looked distantly at her, Blake helped her hold her head up and stay awake. "Yang!" Blake shouted as she watched the blonde step to Roman.

Yang looked back to Blake, "What?" She spat, her eyes quickly reduced from red to their usual colour as she saw the other occupants. She saw her partner cradle an ill woman, while a scared boy held his oldest friend in his arms. Yang went to her scroll and made to call Pyrrha. But a shout cut her off. Roman yelled, "No! Not yet please." He said with a forced laugh, Yang grabbed the scroll but turned back to Roman. Ruby stepped closer to the side of Roman as Weiss stepped to his front.

Weiss' expression held a lot of aggression, "Roman Torchwick! You or Cinder better start to explain what's happening right now or so help me!..." She yelled with a finger to the man's jaw. Roman's hands flew up, he tried to save face, "Listen… Snow queen, let me.-" He was cut off again, but not by Weiss. Ruby had put her hand to Roman's shoulder and pushed him forward, He stumbled forward, pushing Weiss back and nearly knocking the two of them over.

But Ruby didn't seek to hurt the man, instead. She grabbed at Cinder's right arm and pulled. The woman growled like a feral animal again, "You ignorant girl!-" Stopped short by that same ignorant girl disappearing in a burst of roses. Cinder spun puzzled as Ruby appeared right in front of her as she faced the room in its entirety. As Cinder spun she played right into Ruby's intention. The girl grabbed Cinder by her shoulders and forced Cinder into facing Ruby without a way to hide once again.

Cinder threw her head down and withdrew her arms into herself, Ruby felt that Cinder was trying to burn her hands that held her still again. Ruby also saw that Cinder had likely used all of that same power, her hands only getting as much heat as heat pack. Ruby looked up at the woman, her face was obscured by her mane. The young girl winced as she inspected her captive, from the ground up.

What were once glass heels were now what looked like slippers, cut and torn. A broken bangle was charred around Cinder's ankle, her legs which were previously like porcelain in their spotlessness. Were now bruised, cut, and even burnt along her left side. The red gown was gone, a pair of black shorts and what was likely the Haven student undershirt replaced it. The sleeve of her left arm had been rolled up, Ruby inspected in horror the red bandages that extended from Cinder's fingers up and under the short sleeve. Her neck wore a burn reminiscent of a choker. Cinder's head began to stir, beginning to rise and let the mane fall out of the way of her face.

Ruby took in a shocked breath, she released the woman as her hands went to her mouth. Weiss took a step back as Roman cringed with a bite to his lip. Cinder's growl was gone as Ruby looked upon her half concealed face. A mask covered her side, from left jawline to her forehead and nose. But still across the bridge of her nose stretched a line of red burns. Cinder spoke quietly to the Red hooded girl, "Enjoy looking at _your _handy work girl…" Cinder's harsh words failed to hide her own breaking mannerisms however.

"My?..." Ruby spoke, her face filled with fear as she retreated a step. The act only forced Cinder to do the same. For a second, Cinder considered collapsing as she welled deep with fear. Cinder's eye dilated and her hand raised to defend herself as she believed she saw those silver eyes sparkle. Cinder backed a step closer to the window, shielding her left side from the girl's eyes. Cinder couldn't stop staring at Ruby's face, and Ruby did the same to her.

Cinder watched as the light began to intensify as the white light bounced onto Ruby's face. Cinder gawked, fearful as she feared the _worst was_ about to happen again she braced in terror and put her unbandaged hand out to stop Ruby's approach. Cinder stood for a moment in shock, however as she braced nothing came.

No white blast, no scorching flame. Nothing at all. Cinder blinked slowly as her eye opened onto the office carpet. She didn't feel much different, her tears persisted in her eyes from the terror but no ash filled her vision. Cinder brought her hand down to look upon it. Her hand did still exist, if not clammy from sweat. She looked up, the office wall was still there. "Good…" Cinder thought, "...We still have a lease on this place that we can't afford to lose."

But Cinder's vision moved on, going back to Ruby. The very same person who had destroyed her body, her eyes had not been as shiny as they were a moment ago, or at least how Cinder thought they had been. No, now streams of liquid flowed and shined as she approached Cinder. Cinder then realized, the girl was not about to eviscerate her. The girl was doing the same as herself, balling in tears. Cinder blinked as she watched the girl cry as Ruby inspected her like a sad piece of art.

Ruby lunged at her, it took Cinder by a start as Ruby muttered fast and quiet as she held onto the woman. Ruby held her tight, tears flowing from her eyes as she cried heavily into Cinder's shoulder. "I'm… I'm so sorry..." Ruby balled into Cinder's clothes, heaving as she did so as her shoulders bobbed. Cinder looked down to the red head as she held her, Cinder forced herself to grab hold of the girl. The _villain _looked up and around the room, she saw an orchestra of fear.

The ending wasn't like anything she had dreamed. Cinder envisioned to return a herald of her masters vision, but instead was rewarded with her apparent family's destruction. She watched as Roman and the white haired girl talked in great fear. Unable to hear them over Ruby's tears. Cinder absentmindedly patted Ruby's back as she kept looking over her what she had finally accepted as her family.

She watched her apprentices, her… _children, _if she even dared to covet the matriarch role. Emerald was held by Mercury, how she had manipulated them. It was beginning to dawn on her how much she had destroyed those poor, beaten children. Emerald laid down in the terrified grasp of Mercury. Cinder felt the urge to run to the pair, but was pinned still by the new child to come to her. But Cinder didn't, nor could she, feel the need to shake her loose.

Cinder heard the distant jumping start of Roman, as he ran through her vision to the door. How did she not realize the stress she had put on Neo. The girl was battered, Cinder could've made this far easier on both Neo and Emerald if only she was honest. Instead, she was pushing the two to their breaking point. Just so she could resurrect the red gowned, devil of her past. Now what did she have? Her shorts and a stolen school uniform. She would have laughed if she didn't have such broken and pained ribs.

Her amber eye fell down on the red haired girl again, her silver eyes continued to stream as she held the small girl in her arms. Cinder mumbled to the girl, she raised a hand from the girl's back to Ruby's head. "How was I so afraid of you?" She whispered, her throat broke slightly from an unfamiliar strain. "Oh…" The woman croaked, as her eyes filled. "...I forgot what crying was like." Cinder felt tears begin to form as she reciprocated the hug in force. She and Ruby stood and cried for a time.

Weiss looked to Roman. The man was far more calm as Blake managed to get Neo to calm down. He joked to the faunas, "Kitten's love, huh?" He chuckled, Blake gave a small smile as she nodded. Neo gave Roman a limp middle finger as Blake helped her. Weiss moved to the man, holding the document Ruby and her had constructed. Weiss tapped Roman on his shoulder, "Torchwick?" Roman turned to the white girl, she was pointing her thumb to the hall. Roman's eyes lingered on the scene of his partner finally succumb to her emotions as she cried for the first time in his history with her. The gangster looked back to the heiress as he stood up slowly, "What's up kid?" he mumbled tiredly to the heiress. Weiss smiled softly and presented Roman with the scroll.

The man took it cautiously, he peered at the document for a moment. His smirk grew as he looked back to the pair of red themed girls. "Red can be smart when she wants to be, huh?" Roman said with a happy scoff. Weiss saw the display, "She can, and your woman of steel can be emotional when she wants to be, hmm?" Weiss said with a witty smirk.

Roman laughed quietly, "Come on, I'm sure you and I can figure this out while we leave them all to their, eh..." Roman looked around the room, "... Recovery." Roman calmy opened the door, holding it for Weiss as he took in the scene one less time.

He closed the door softly as Blake got Neo into a chair to relax, as Yang helped Mercury with Emerald. Yang and Mercury talking calmly as they managed to get the exhausted green haired girl to breathe normally again. Ruby and Cinder had gotten to the ground Cinder sat on her knees as Ruby practically was falling into her. But Cinder felt oddly comfortable as received and spilt tears from both her own and the girls. Ruby continued to feel just terrible about all she had done to the woman.

The Life Day tree still sat, undisturbed, but with a soul ornament adorning the tree. The ornament of fortune and family.

Fuck you. Part 2 is coming soon.

Wordcount : 20573

Thanks for reading! I write stories that I enjoy and are by no means cannon friendly. Have a good day!


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